No Fear

Philippians 1:28 - Don't be intimidated in any way by your enemies.  This will be a sign to them that they are going to be destroyed, but that you are going to be saved, even by God Himself.

What can man do to us when we stand up and face down the fear tactics of the enemy?  Absolutely nothing.  Like the question of what do you get the person who has everything, what can you do to someone that has nothing to lose and everything to gain?

Although we don't face the persecution that a lot of people do in other parts of the world, I do believe that time will come some day.  When we stand up in the face of fear, it takes away the (perceived) power that fear/hate mongers think they have.  It puts it back in their face, so to speak, and shows them that they just lost.

We already know that Christ wins in the end.  We've read the last chapter.  But when we show them as well by standing up in the face of fear, they will finally see it as well.  Paul said to live is Christ and to die is gain.  Let them kill us, if that's what it takes.  Either way, Christ will be glorified, and then we get to begin our eternity with Him in His Glorious Kingdom.

Dear Lord, thank You for the privilege of knowing You.  Thank You for the strength You give to get me through every situation in life.  I know that by Your power alone, I can and will overcome everything no matter how big or small it may seem.  I pray for those that haven't experienced that power and feeling of comfort yet because they don't know You.  My prayer is that they will open their hearts to You, and see and feel Your majestic splendor in all its glory.  I pray they will read that last chapter and understand that when they open their hearts to Your knocking, they have just won.  In Jesus' name, Amen!

God Bless!!!

Not Worthy

John 13:8 - "No," Peter protested, "You will never ever wash my feet!"  Jesus replied, "Unless I wash you, you won't belong to Me."

Peter believed that he was not worthy to be served by Jesus, and he could not accept what He was trying to do for him.  But Jesus had other plans.

He was trying to demonstrate not only His servant's heart that He desires us all to have, but that no matter what we do, when we accept Jesus Christ as our Savior, His blood washes us clean, and we now belong to Him.  We are made worthy by His righteousness.

How much do I struggle with this sometimes?  I know I did quite a bit before I really understood what Jesus' sacrifice really did for me.  Like Peter I often said, "No!  You will never, ever accept me because of my past and forgive me!"  Jesus just kept telling me, "I already have.  My blood was spilled to wash you clean, now you just have to believe."  It was a tough thing for me to do, and I still struggle with feelings of unworthiness from time to time.  But when I struggle like this, God is so faithful and reminds me through His Word that it's already been forgotten.  What an awesome God we serve.

Dear Lord, thank You for washing me clean.  I know I struggle and doubt sometimes, but You are faithful and forgiving, and full of grace.  I am beyond blessed by Your love for me.  I pray for those that are convinced that they are not worthy to be redeemed by You.  My prayer is that they will come to understand and accept that they have already been forgiven and redeemed, they just need to accept it, and live their lives for You now.  In Jesus' name, Amen!



God Bless!!!

Together We Stand

Philippians 1:30 - We are in this struggle together.  You have seen my struggle in the past, and you know that I am still in the midst of it.

We are all in it together.  The trials and triumphs we experience in our daily lives of service to the Lord and His Kingdom are not our own.  We share them with other believers.  We help each other through the hard times, and celebrate with each other the good times.  We rise and fall together all for the sake of living the Gospel and Great Commission of Jesus Christ.

This can be tough for someone like me, who is an introvert.  I don't like to talk about my problems with people.  It's not that I don't want them to know anything about me, it just seems like they're unimportant compared to what other people are going through at times.  But that's just it, they're very important.  God cares so much about each and everyone of us on a deeply personal and intimate level, that our problems, no matter how insignificant they may seem at the time are important to Him, and should be important to others as well.  The more I trust in God for everything, the more I understand that it is okay to share my burdens with others, so that we can stand and face them together.

Dear Lord, thank You for caring.  I hate bringing my problems up, but I know You already know them.  You are willing to heal me and take care of me, but I have to ask.  So today, I ask that You give me peace of mind and a calm spirit.  Replace the yoke of my human burdens with the yoke of Jesus Christ, so that I may serve You and Your Chosen People.  I pray for those that are dealing with the same issues as well.  They are afraid to share with others their problems.  I pray that You will soften their hearts and allow others to stand together with them, and face the problems head on together, and not individually.  Then we can all celebrate the triumphs, Your triumphs, together.  In Jesus' name, Amen!



God Bless!!!

Stop Worrying

Mark 4:40 - Then He asked them, "Why are you afraid?  Do you still have no faith?"

When the storm kicked up, Jesus had no fear because He knew His time had not yet come.  Even though His disciples didn't realize it, they would be safe.

In this passage, Jesus said, "Let's cross to the other side of the lake" (verse 35).  He didn't say, "Let's see if we can make it through this storm that's brewing."  Jesus knew and trusted God's will to be done in His time, and so should we.

For someone that has struggled with anxiety and fear of the unknown for a long time, I catch myself allowing it to creep in to my head from time to time.  My faith in Christ has defeated my anxiety and fear, but from time to time, it comes up.  It makes me question my faith.  It makes me wonder if I really believe what I read every day, and what I believe in my heart.  I have to see these incidents for what they are.  They are attacks from the enemy.  Satan is trying to interrupt my time with God, and plant the seed of doubt in my mind.  It's not a coincidence that my anxiety will creep up most often when I'm having my Quite Time with God.  He can't have my heart, because it belongs to Jesus, so he appeals to my mind.  When this happens, I need to remember to pray hard to get him out of my head.

Getting these anxiety and fears out of my head on my own by trying not to think of them, doesn't work.  It causes panic attacks.  But when I pray, it is the power of Christ that calms me.  I have to remember that I accomplish everything with Christ's strength, and nothing on my own power.

Dear Lord, thank You for reminding me that I need to stop worrying, and just pray.  I know Your will is going to be done, and I have to trust in Your plans and Your timing, and stop being afraid of what I don't know.  I have nothing to fear with Jesus Christ guiding my path.  I pray for those that fight anxiety.  I pray that they will seek You in prayer instead of trying to get over it on their own power.  I pray that they will remember that anything and everything is possible by the power of Jesus Christ.  In Your Son's name I pray, Amen!



God Bless!!!

Show Him Some Love

Deuteronomy 11:22 - "Be careful to obey all these commands I am giving you.  Show love to the Lord your God by walking in His ways and holding tightly to Him."

We can never earn our way into heave, but that doesn't mean we can't show our appreciation and love to God for all He has done for us.  We show Him our love by spending intentional time in His Word and in prayer, and by being obedient to His will for us.

Am I showing God love?  I have been very good about reading and studying His Word every day, and talking to Him in prayer.  But am I also listening when He speaks to me?  Am I listening to His will, and actually following His plan for me, or am I trying to incorporate some of His plans into my ideas for how I should live?  If I want to show God my love for Him, since He has already shown His love for me (Jesus), then I need to be all in, and not try to mix and match His will and my will together.

Dear Abba Father, thank You for reminding me that by not being obedient to Your will completely, I am failing to show my love for You.  I pray that as You give me wisdom and speak to me through Your Word, that I will be completely obedient to Your will and purpose for me, and let go of myself.  I want more of You and less of me.  Father, I also lift up those that struggle with this as well.  My prayer is that as they become more intentional about their study of Your Word and prayer, they will also become more intentional about their obedience and completely surrendered to Your will.  We all need more of You, Lord.  In Jesus' name, Amen!



God Bless!!!

His Reward

Hebrews 6:10 - For God is not unjust.  He will not forget how hard you have worked for Him and how you have shown your love to Him by caring for other believers as you still do.

God's reward for us is eternal life in heaven when we hear Him say, "Well done, good and faithful servant."  That is the only reward we should be seeking and helping others to seek as well.

Oftentimes, we find ourselves in need of having our ego stroked by others for things we do.  There is nothing wrong with sometimes wanting or receiving that pat on the back, as long as we are doing it for the right reasons (because it allows us to give God the glory), and we understand why we did a good job to begin with.  We accomplish nothing outside of God's will and the power of the Holy Spirit.  Strive for His pat on the back at all times, and He will give us whatever we need to accomplish our tasks.

Am I doing things for the right reasons?  Am I seeking the worlds rewards or God's?  I am just as human as the next person, and it does feel good to get a pat on the back from friends or coworkers, but I have to make sure that I am not seeking them, so that this desire doesn't draw away from my worship of, and giving glory to, God.

Dear Lord, thank You for this reminder, and the promise of eternal life in Your Glorious Kingdom.  I pray that I will seek You and Your will in all I do, and that I give You the glory that You deserve when I accomplish something that You have set out for me to do.  I accomplish nothing apart from You, and I need to remember that at all times.  I pray for those that are torn between the temporal rewards of this world, and the eternal rewards of Heaven.  I pray they will see where they are headed apart from You, and will turn from their ways, and serve You and Your people.  In Jesus' name, Amen!



God Bless!!!

His Help

Mathew 28:20 - "Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you.  And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age."

When we are being obedient to God's will for us, and responding to His Great Commission, He has promised to give us the help we need to do right.  He has promised to always be with us.

Why do people shy away from sharing the Gospel with people?  Aside from being nervous about speaking to strangers, they are usually worried that they won't say it right.  I know I have often felt like this.  The few times I have had the opportunity to share God's Great News with someone, it has flowed out of me like I had been teaching it for years.  Why is that?  I'm certainly not a very good public speaker, and I'm definitely not the most outgoing people-person either.  It's because God gave me the words to say.

In Luke 12:12, when Jesus is speaking about people being put on trial and how they are going to defend themselves, He promises that the Holy Spirit will give them the words that need to be said.  Do you think He was just talking about being on trial, or do you think this applies to the Great Commission as well?  I would say it certainly does apply to both.  His first desire for us is to share the Gospel and make disciples.  When we are following His desire, He will certainly help us when we ask for it.

Dear Lord, thank You for keeping Your promise of always being there to help when we need it.  I pray that I will be obedient to Your commission, and that I boldly share Your message and Your love with whomever You put in my path.  I know that You will always be there to give me the words to say through the power of the Holy Spirit.  I pray for those that are struggling with the words to say, and that they will remember to ask for Your help and guidance in this.  In Jesus' name, Amen!



God Bless!!!

His Goals

Matthew 6:33 - Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and He will give you everything you need.

God's plans for our lives should be our #1 priority.  We need to be seeking His will first in everything we do, and when we are, He is faithful to take care of us and provide what we need.

One of the Pastor's at church was talking about this recently.  He said that one of the keys to being content was lining our goals up with God's, and not the other way around.  Our list of goals should begin with God's primary goal for us.  God's primary goal for us, is to make disciples (Matthew 28:19).

God doesn't want anyone to perish.  He doesn't want anyone to spend eternity separated from Him.  That neighbor that annoys you to no end - him too.  The coworker that tries everything she can to pull you down while lifting herself up - she has a place in God's Kingdom.  But if no one is sharing the Good News of Jesus Christ's saving grace, then how are they ever supposed to find their way home to Him?  It is our duty to share His message with everyone we can, so that everyone has the opportunity to accept His salvation for them.  We can't say, "Well I'm sure someone will come along and talk to them about it.  I just don't want to deal with them."  It doesn't work that way.  Love your enemies and pray for those that persecute you"...sound familiar?  What if someone else doesn't come along?

Am I going the extra mile with those I don't get along with to share the Good News of Jesus Christ, or am I trying to pass the buck to someone else?  What if I am the last chance someone has to hear the Message before it's too late for them?

Dear Lord, thank You for putting this on my heart after hearing the message last night.  I know You want everyone to come to You, and I want to do my part to bring more people to know You and Your salvation, love, and grace.  I want to be Your instrument in this.  I pray for those that don't know You that I may come in contact with.  I pray that their hearts will be opened just enough for Your Word to take a foothold, and push out the enemy's foot.  In Jesus' name, Amen!



God Bless!!!

A Flair For The Dramatic

2 Peter 1:11 - Then God will give you a grand entrance into the eternal Kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

One of the things that I really love about God (and there are entirely too many to ever write them all), is His love for us in a huge and dramatic way.  He loves to go overboard to show His love for us.

In Luke 15, Jesus tells us that there is more joy in heaven over one lost sinner who repents and returns to God (verse 7).  When I read that, I picture them having a big party and celebrating.  They did that when I accepted Christ and repented, and they do that for all of us who do so as well.

And then, as if He is trying to outdo Himself, God throws us a parade when we get to Heaven and are ushered in to His Kingdom for eternity.  I can just picture an angel sitting there and saying, "Isn't this a bit much?"  Only to have God say, "Nothing is too much for my beloved children."  God loves to go the extra mile and a half for us because He loves us and nothing makes Him happier than when we come back to Him.

Dear Lord, thank You for reminding me daily of You unfailing and dramatic love for me.  I know I am unworthy, but Your love and grace make me worthy, and I pray that I will share and show that same kind of love to others every day.  I pray for those that aren't sure of Your love for them.  They may be having doubts about Your willingness to redeem them because they think they have done something that cannot be forgiven.  My prayer is that they will see that Your love covers all sins, and You will forgive AND forget all of their transgressions.  In Jesus' name, Amen!



God Bless!!!

He's A Giver

Romans 8:30 - And having chosen them, He called them to come to Him.  And having called them, He gave them right standing with Himself.  And having given them right standing, He gave them His glory.

God is such a giver.  He chose us because He loves us.  He calls us to Him to be in intimate fellowship with Him.  And when we answer His call in faith, He makes us right with Him and gives us His glory.  All of this because He loves us, and not for anything we have done except to step out in faith and answer His call.

That can be scary to do though.  That's the real trick to everything, taking that step of faith. But it is beyond worth it.  A pastor said one time that God will always love us, but if we are not being obedient to His will, if we aren't taking that step, or steps, of faith to follow Him and all He has for us, then He won't bless us.  So true - He won't bless what is done outside of His will.

I have struggled - more than I care to admit - to take that step of faith from time to time.  It can be such a challenge for someone like me who hates to make mistakes (perfectionist).  But I have learned over and over that when I do, God is right there for me to make sure that I feel His presence in and around me.  That is so comforting for me.  I have to work on being more obedient.  It's a daily challenge for me, as I'm sure it is for a lot of people, but it's such a rewarding challenge to accept from the One who gives the greatest rewards when we answer His call.

Dear Lord, thank You for being the greatest Giver.  Your love and Your blessings could never be matched by anyone or anything in this world.  I have chosen You in faith, not because You offer the best prizes, but because You are the right choice.  Your love and grace are worth more than anything I could ever want, and I pray that I will continue to take those steps of faith, especially when they are the toughest ones to take, because I know that is what You desire.  I pray for those that struggle with this as well.  My prayer is that they will take those steps, even if they are baby steps, in faith so that they can see the great and wonderful things You have for them, because You love them and have called them.  In Jesus' name, Amen!



God Bless!!!

Rejoice In Him

Luke 10:20 - "But don't rejoice because evil spirits obey you; rejoice because your names are registered in Heaven."

Jesus reminds us not to boast or rejoice in the work we do for the Kingdom of God.  Our work won't save us.  But we are to rejoice in the fact we are saved and set apart to spend eternity in Heaven with God.  We are saved and set apart by our faith alone.

We have been given this privilege because of the work that HE did on our behalf by offering Himself as a sacrifice, the ultimate sacrifice, to God once for all time.  There is nothing we can do to earn it, all we can do is accept it.  That's why it's a free gift.  Given to us out of undeserving, yet unfailing, love.

Our faith is what produces the good works we do.  Faith without good works is dead (James 2:14), but the works don't save us.  They show everyone what kind of love we have for them and all of God's people because we were saved and redeemed.  Jesus tells us that when much is given to us, and entrusted to us, much will be required (Luke 12:48).

Much has been given to us - eternity in Heaven with our Abba Father.  Much has been entrusted to us - the salvation of lost souls by sharing the Good News (see: Great) of Jesus Christ with others.  God has entrusted this to us because He loves us, and He wants us to share His love with others that don't know or understand it.  That sure sounds like much to me.  He has given us a huge responsibility, and we should embrace it wholeheartedly.

Dear Abba Father, thank You for loving us.  Thank You for showing Your love not just by giving Your Son as a sacrifice, but also trusting us with the responsibility to help bring other souls to salvation through faith in Jesus Christ.  I pray for those that don't know You yet.  I pray that You will give me the strength and the words to share Your love with any who cross my path, and are unaware of what You have done for them.  I pray that I can help them see Your love and grace for what it is - amazing.  In Jesus' name, Amen!



God Bless!!

By His Power Alone

2 Corinthians 3:5 - It is not that we think we are qualified to do anything on our own.  Our qualification comes from God.

Becoming prideful in our accomplishments can be a very dangerous road to travel.  Paul reminds us that God didn't choose us because we were the best qualified.  He chose us because He loves us, and when we accept His love and salvation, He then equips and qualifies us.

Anything we do outside of God's will for us will not be successful.  Plenty of people have had worldly success, but it always fades and falls away when they are not seeking God regularly, and trying to operate outside of His will.  Jesus tells us in John 15:5 that apart from Him we can do nothing.

Recently when I was sharing with someone about how I came to my faith, I told them how I had been saved initially when I was recovering from my addiction, but that I spent 10 years after that kidding myself, because I wasn't seeking God regularly.  I thought that now that I was saved, I was good to go.  I am so blessed that God showed me how wrong I really was, and He took the time to speak to my heart.  The more I seek Him, the more He blesses me.

I wasn't suddenly qualified just because I had been saved.  I needed to be seeking Him and His will for me so that He could go to work in me and equip me for His purposes.  I know that I am not perfect (VERY far from it), but He is working in and through me daily to make me more like Jesus until my time comes to be with Him for eternity (Philippians 1:6).  I will get where He wants me to be when He is ready.  Until then I need to keep seeking Him daily for guidance and wisdom, and making sure that I am giving Him the credit for any success.

Dear Lord, thank You for showing me that I accomplish nothing apart from You.  I have been so blessed to come to know You.  I know that I will keep learning from You and about You as I continue to seek You, and You will continue to equip, qualify, and perfect me until the time of our meeting face to face in Heaven.  I pray for those that don't have You in their lives.  My prayer is that they will open their hearts, and begin to seek You daily for their salvation and qualification.  In Jesus' name, Amen!



God Bless!!!

All You Need Is Love

1 John 4:8 - But anyone who does not love does not know God, for God is love.

As we grow closer to God everyday, He will perfect us and open hearts to love more.  To love extravagantly.  To love unconditionally.  Just as He loves us.

It can be difficult for me sometimes to love some people.  The human nature in me would feel much more content being anything but kind and caring and loving.  But that is false content.

Paul tells in Philippians that we should be abounding in love, and that our love for each other would overflow more and more (Phil. 1:9).  That's what God wants for us.  That's what Jesus taught us.  Love each other more than we love ourselves.

God sent His only Son into the world to die for us, so that we could be redeemed back to Him.  Not because He had to, but because He wanted to.  Because He loves us that much.  That's love.  That's agape love.

Dear Lord, thank You so much for loving me.  I know that I am a work in progress, and You are perfecting me to be more like Jesus every day.  I know I struggle often, but I want more of You so I can be more like Jesus.  So I can love like He does.  I trust Your plan and Your path for me.  Fill me with You spirit of love, so I can show it and share it with everyone whose path I cross.  I pray for those that are struggling to see Your love in everything.  Life can be so hard without inviting You into our hearts.  I pray that their hearts will be opened up today, and they will accept Your free gift of salvation, and start to know what love really is...You.  In Jesus' name, Amen!



God Bless!!!

His Calling

Acts 20:24 - But my life is worth nothing to me unless I use it for finishing the work assigned me by the Lord Jesus - the work of telling others the Good News about the wonderful grace of God.

Paul's passion for teaching and sharing the Gospel is so intense.  He boldly states that without this calling on his life, without serving God's purpose, his life is meaningless.

Have I embraced the calling on my life from the Lord?  Yes I have.  Do I find meaning and purpose in what I do?  This can be difficult sometimes, especially since I know God is calling me to other things down the road.  But I know God has me right where He wants me to be right now, and I have to embrace that purpose.  I have the opportunity to serve His plans and His people in a great way.

Dear Lord, thank You for putting me where You want me, and giving my life meaning by serving You.  I am so blessed by Your love and grace, and I look forward to more opportunities to share it with others.  I pray for those that have not heard Your call for them yet.  I pray that they will stay closely connected to You in prayer so that they will hear Your voice when You are ready for them.  In Jesus' name, Amen!



God Bless!!!

Cha-Ching, Cha-Ching

Matthew 6:24 - "No one can serve two masters.  For you will hate one and love the other; you will be devoted to one and despise the other.  You cannot serve both God and money."

God's currency of love is what we have to be focused on.  The paper stuff we keep keep in our wallets is just that - paper.  It has no real value and we're not going to take it with us in Heaven.

Living our lives the way Jesus has instructed us, by loving God and others will give us eternal wealth in Heaven.  The love we sow, we will reap because we are storing it in the Big Bank above.  These "treasures" we do take with us.

When discussing with an acquaintance awhile back about my plans for continuing my education after I finish my Bachelor's Degree, he asked what I wanted to do with it.  He asked if my intent was to find a lucrative career and make money.  He obviously doesn't know me that well.  I have never been driven by that.  If I was, I would have gone back to school a long time ago, and pursued something that would lead to a big payday.  My intent is to serve God and His people in whatever way He would have me do it.  I trust God will provide for my basic physiological needs, and I am fine with that.

Am I keeping my eyes focused on the eternal prize of God's Kingdom in Heaven, or have I been losing focus lately on what I can do with my education in serving God and His people?

Dear Lord, thank You for the opportunities You have afforded me in regards to my education.  I trust Your plan for me, and I am excited for where You will lead me when the time comes for me to put it all to use.  I pray that I keep my focus on You and don't go down the dark path of trying to serve two masters.  I pray for those that are struggling with this issue.  I pray that they will see that they cannot be devoted to two masters and choose the right one (You).  Please work on their hearts, and heal them Lord.  In Jesus' name, Amen!



God Bless!!!

It Doesn't Matter Anymore

Philippians 3:13 - No, dear brothers and sisters, I have not achieved it, but I focus on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead.

Paul's single-minded vision is inspiring.  It can be so hard to not think about the past, and reflect on the mistakes we have made.  Paul knew that he was a sinner, and that he didn't deserve anything from God.  But he also knew that now that he had been saved and redeemed, his only focus was on knowing Christ.  Nothing else mattered anymore.

Am I peeking back over my shoulder to see what may be gaining on me from my past?  Or am I focused on pressing towards the goal of knowing Christ more and reaching the Heavenly prize that Christ has called me to (verse 14).

Dear Lord, thank You for forgetting my past.  I ask for the peace of mind and heart to forget about it myself and keep my heart and my thoughts focused on You daily.  On serving You and Your people daily.  On praising and worshiping You daily.  I pray for those that struggle with this.  My prayer is that they will learn to forget whatever they may have done and forgive themselves, as You have forgiven them, and move on towards Your Heavenly prize that You are calling them to.  In Jesus' name, Amen!



God Bless!!!

Knowing Him

Acts 17:23 - "For as I was walking along I saw your many shrines.  And one of your altars had this inscription on it: 'To an unknown God.'  This God, whom you worship without knowing, is the one I'm telling you about."

The Athenians were not far from knowing the one true God, they just needed proper teaching and guidance.  It was no accident that Paul showed up when he did.  Nothing happens on accident.

While Paul was speaking here, he makes a great comment that God is not far from any of us (verse 27).  He tells the Athenians that God's purpose is for us to seek Him and find Him.  Doesn't sound too hard does it?  Sometimes it can be.

Not all of us had the blessings of being taught about Christ at a young age, and coming to know God early on.  I sure didn't.  But that wasn't an accident.  I found God when He was ready for me to find Him.  Like I said earlier, nothing happens on accident.  Even though it would have been nice to know and serve Him many years ago, God wanted me to be a little more refined and open-minded before He made me ready for Him.  He needed me to be ready to seek and find Him.  I am fine with that.  He knows much better than I do (MUCH).  When I was ready, He put the right teachers in my path so I could learn about Him and come to know Him.  And I have been beyond blessed because of Him.

Dear Lord, thank You for working on me through those years when I didn't acknowledge You.  Even though I didn't know You, I believe You were still working on me and preparing me for my service to You and Your Kingdom.  You opened my heart and eyes to You at the perfect time.  I pray for those that haven't found You yet.  I pray for those that haven't started seeking You.  I pray that their hearts and eyes will be opened to Your love and grace so that they can be a part of Your Glorious Kingdom, and I trust that it will all happen in Your perfect timing.  In Jesus' name, Amen!

Let God Work

Exodus 14:13 - But Moses told the people, "Don't be afraid.  Just stand still and watch the Lord rescue you today.  The Egyptians you see today will never be seen again."

While the people were beginning to panic as the Egyptians were gaining on them, Moses reminded them that they only had to trust in God.  He had promised to deliver them, and He always came through.

This is something I have to be reminded of regularly.  When things aren't happening fast enough for my liking, how often do I try to play God and speed them up, or do I let go and let God work?  While I have gotten better about trusting Him and letting Him do His great work that He has for me, I still need to work on this.

How often do we all try to orchestrate things so they work in our favor, faster?  If it's not happening yet, it's because of two reasons: Either God doesn't want it for us yet, or He has something much greater planned for us.  Either way, we need to let Him work in and through us and watch how He delivers in amazing ways.

Dear Abba Father, thank You for Your love and patience with me, especially when I am impatient with the way things are happening.  I know You have only great things planned for me.  Please help me to remember to get out of the way and let You work.  I pray for those that are struggling with trusting in Your will for their lives.  I pray that they will remember that You have promised to deliver them into great and mighty things.  In Jesus' name, Amen!



God Bless!!!

All The Same

Acts 15:11 - "We believe that we are all saved the same way, by the undeserved grace of the Lord Jesus."

When the arguments started to come up about the conversion of the Gentiles, some of the people weren't happy about it.  There was obviously some dislike towards the Gentiles, and they wanted to make it harder for them to be saved.

Peter, certainly being no stranger to receiving grace from Jesus, spoke up and reminded them that it doesn't work that way.  We are saved by God's grace alone.  No one is required, or should be, to jump through hoops to earn it.  It can't be earned, bought, or sold.

Reading about this reminds me of Jonah.  He didn't want the people of Nineveh to be spared because of his dislike for them, and tried to run from God.  God was obviously speaking through Peter to remind everyone that they didn't have to do anything to be saved, and neither would anyone else.  They just had to believe.

Am I accepting of everyone I meet that has been saved by their faith in Jesus Christ, or am I reserving my love for them because of past issues?  If the person I have the most issues with came up to me and told me they accepted Jesus Christ into their heart and life, would I keep them at arm's length or hug them and welcome them into the family?

Dear Lord, thank You for this reminder that we are all the same.  We are all loved by You with and unfailing love and compassion that cannot be bought or sold.  We are saved by Your grace, through our faith and trust in Your Son Jesus Christ.  I pray for those that haven't been saved yet.  I pray that their hearts will turn toward You and they understand and accept Your free gift and don't try to run the other way because they think that it isn't, shouldn't, or can't be for them.  In Jesus' name, Amen!



God Bless!!!

Counting It All Joy

Philippians 4:4 - Always be full of joy in the Lord.  I say it again - rejoice!

Paul's heart for Christ and for his fellow man is amazing.  The whole book of Philippians is full of Paul's joy for his suffering for the Lord.  No matter what he was going through, he considered it all joy for the Lord, because the Good News of Jesus Christ was being spread.

Finding joy in everything can be so tough sometimes.  Things will come up that just frustrate me to no end, and I feel like I'm going to lose every bit of patience I have left.  Reading about what Paul endured to share the Gospel really helps put things in perspective.  During it all, he was happy.  I struggle with that a lot.

During Bible study, a question was posed about which was toughest for us personally: being like Christ, trusting God's plan, or counting it all joy.  I think most of us would go with counting it all joy, as I did, but one thing struck me during the conversation: I believe they're all interlinked.  The way I see it, when we're able to count it all joy, we are able to trust God's plan more, which will make us more like Christ (the desired end result).  It all starts with counting it all joy.

I have to work on that.  When situations come up, particularly at work lately, I have to just count it as joy.  I may not be happy there, and want to find a new job, but God has me there for a reason.  I believe the main reason is for me to work on my joy.  If I can find joy in the daily things that go on there (a real challenge), I can find joy in other things.  Then my obedience in trusting God's plan more will increase, and I will become more like Christ every day, which will in turn make me a better witness for the Gospel and His glory.  Thinking of the bigger picture like that makes me smile already.  I can certainly count that as joy...

Dear Abba Father, thank You for working in and through me for Your glory, and the glory of Your Kingdom.  I pray that my heart will seek You more every minute of every day so that I am able to count everything for joy, and become more like Christ in the end.  I know that with Your strength and guidance, all things are possible.  I pray for those that are struggling with the joy factor as well.  It is not an easy one to overcome, but I know and trust they can and will when they turn to and rely on You.  In Jesus' name, Amen!



God Bless!!!

Keep On Truckin

Philippians 3:12 - I don't mean to say that I have already achieved these things or that I have already achieved perfection.  But I press on to possess that perfection for which Christ Jesus first possessed me.

I love how Paul wants to make it clear that he isn't attempting to be boastful or make himself seem better than anyone else.  He lets the Philippians know that he is no different from them.  He is still seeking to know God more intimately until the day comes when he goes to Heaven to be with God forever.

One of Paul's more endearing qualities (for me), is his humility.  He didn't do what he did because he believed he was better than anyone else.  He was commissioned by Jesus Himself, so it could be easy for him to say, "Hey, He sent me directly so I obviously know what I'm doing."  Being a Pharisee, Paul no doubt had intimate knowledge of the Scriptures, but that doesn't mean anything without Christ.  He was given the opportunity and second chance (grace) to have intimate knowledge of Christ.

When I was younger, the only people I knew that were Christians were the type of people that acted like they were better than everyone, because they were religious.  As if they had some inside information that they weren't going to share and the rest of us weren't worth their time.  People like that really turned me off of Jesus and church for a long time.  Years later, when I started to read the Bible for myself, I saw that it wasn't supposed to be that way.

People who love Christ, love everyone else and want to share His Word and His promises with everyone.  They understand that we are all in this together, and we have a responsibility to not just strive to know God more intimately, but also to share, lift up, and encourage others to do the same.  The key is humility.  Just like Paul.

Dear Lord, thank You for changing my heart to seek You and find out for myself what You really are all about, instead of going off my impressions of some misguided people.  I am so blessed that I have sought You, and I will continue to seek You until my time comes to be with You in Heaven.  I pray for those that are struggling with a misguided perception of You and Your people.  I pray that their hearts will be changed, and they will see that You are a God of love and grace, and we are here to help and encourage them to know You more intimately.  In Jesus' name, Amen!



God Bless!!!

Just Like Family

Philippians 1:4 - Whenever I pray, I make my requests for all of you with joy.

Paul had a deep affection for the church and fellow believers at Philippi.  They were just like family to him, and praying for them brought him great joy.

Having a close relationship with a group of people can feel like a family.  You love each other, laugh, and argue.  You pray for each other to be certain, and it makes you happy when someone from the group succeeds in something.

I had the privilege of being a part of a group like that.  I was part of a Bible study group that formed for what was originally intended to be a 6 month study that we were doing along with our church.  That 6 months lasted just shy of 18 months.  We had such great studies together during that initial 6 month period, that we didn't want it to end.  As it happens, life changes and things do end.  We recently ended the group, but that doesn't mean that we ended our love for each other.

A friend told me once that God puts people in our lives for either a reason, a season, or a lifetime.  These people will be lifelong friends.  They are just like family to me.  I grew so much closer to God, and learned so much during our time together because of the great insight and perspective I got during our meetings.  I have been beyond blessed by God through them.

I know that when I pray, I will continue making my requests for all of them with great joy.

Dear Abba Father, I thank You so much for putting the people in our group together.  Thank You for putting them in my life, and blessing me through them.  They are such amazing people.  They are so gifted and talented and so in love with You, and I am confident that You will continue to bless them as You have.  I thank You for the great leadership we had in the group, and thank You for giving me the joy I get when I pray for them.  In Jesus' name, Amen!



God Bless!!!

Being Patient With Myself

Hebrews 5:8 - Even though Jesus was God's Son, He learned obedience from the things He suffered.

Even though Jesus lived a perfect and sinless life, He still needed to learn about being obedient.  He was fully God, but He was also fully man.

Jesus' prayers in the garden of Gethsemane before His arrest are a good example of how He was suffering and learning to be obedient.   In Matthew 26:38, He says how His soul was crushed to the point of death.  He even asked God to take away His suffering.  But a key thing there, was that He asked God's will to be done regardless of what it meant for Him.  That is being obedient to God's will.

God doesn't expect us to be perfect.  We are still works in progress.  He is perfecting us slowly but surely, until the day of Jesus' return (Philippians 1:6).  He will keep working on us, but we have to do our part, and keeping working on the obedience part.  We will make mistakes from time to time (one of my specialties), but God is okay with that as long as we repent and work to turn away from our behaviors that cause the mistakes.

Dear Lord, thank You for working on me and perfecting me little by little every day.  Please give me the strength and wisdom I need to be obedient to Your will and purpose for my life.  I lift up those that are struggling to be obedient to You.  I pray they will seek and find the strength that only You can provide.  In Jesus' name, Amen!



God Bless!!!

His Favorites

Acts 10:34-35 - Then Peter replied, "I see very clearly that God shows no favoritism.  In every nation He accepts those who fear Him and do what is right."

The first preaching of the Gospel to the Gentiles was God's way of showing that He loves us all no matter where we come from.  Our identity isn't in our nationality or race, but in Jesus Christ our Savior.  We are all children of God.

Am I accepting and loving everyone regardless of where they come from?  Yes I do.  If it's good enough for God, it's good enough for me.  That's the way I look at it.  It's not my place to decide who God should accept into His Kingdom.  We're all His favorites.

I often tell my parents when I do something good that makes them happy, that I'm their favorite son.  Their response is, "You're my only son."  I always reply, "Well that doesn't mean I can't still be your favorite son."  That's how it is with God.  He treats each one of us as the unique individuals He created us to be, and loves us just as much as the next person.  In the Bible, it tells us that Heaven rejoices over one person that is saved and brought into the family of God.  It doesn't say that it has to be a certain kind of person.  Just the kind that fears and loves God and wants to live for Him.

Dear Lord, thank You for reminding me that we are all Your favorites regardless of our background.  Thank You for rejoicing over my salvation, as You have over everyone's.  I pray for those that haven't received Your salvation yet.  I pray they will hear the Good News and understand that it is for them as well, no matter where they may have come from.  I pray they will hear it and accept it so that we can all rejoice over our new family members.  In Jesus' name, Amen!



God Bless!!!

Great Joy

Psalm 16:11 - You will show me the way of life, granting me the joy of Your presence and the pleasures of living with You forever.

God showed us the Way of Life by sending Jesus to earth (John 14:6).  When we accept His free gift of salvation by believing that He is the Way, the Truth, and the Life, we are granted the joy of His presence and given life eternal in God's Kingdom.

But it isn't always easy.  Living for Jesus can be a real challenge in the world today.  It seems as though we hear of more persecution going on somewhere every week.  James tells us that we should consider it all joy when our faith is tested, because it is giving the Holy Spirit the chance to perfect us (James 1:2-4).  That can be easier said than done sometimes when you're staring down the barrel of a gun.

But it is true, and it is worth it.  I haven't had to stare down the barrel of a gun and speak up for my faith, but I know there are plenty who have.  What would I do?  Would I consider it great joy that I am enduring the toughest test of my faith, or would I give in to the pressure of life or death.  There is no way of knowing that for sure without it happening, but I like to believe that I would proclaim my love for Jesus no matter the consequences.  He did it for me and paid the ultimate price for it on the cross...

Dear Lord, thank You for reminding me of the great joy I receive by living for You every day.  I pray that I will never back down from proclaiming my love for and faith in You.  I trust that You will always provide me the strength I need to overcome ANY obstacle put in my way, no matter the earthly consequences.  I pray for those that struggle to live for You because of the oppression they suffer at the hands of those that want to persecute Your chosen people.  I pray they will stay strong in their faith in You.  I pray that they will proclaim their love for You to the end as You did for them.  In Jesus' name, Amen!



God Bless!!!

What A Difference

Exodus 32:32 - "But now, if You will only forgive their sin - but if not, erase my name from the record You have written!"

The same Moses from Exodus 4 that tried to come up with every excuse he could think of to keep from leading and serving God's people has come to the point where he tries to offer himself up as a sacrifice for their sins.  What brought this change about?  An intimate relationship with God.

An intimate relationship with God is what truly makes us unique from those that just say they believe but don't really do anything about it.  Once we have accepted His free gift of salvation from Jesus Christ, repented of our sins, and received the Holy Spirit into our hearts, it's up to us to stay close to Him.  It was a little different for Moses since this was before Jesus came into the world, but he still had to work on the relationship with God.

God doesn't expect us to be perfect, He expects us to meet Him half way.  He even bends down to listen to us (Psalm 116:2).  He is willing to meet us more than half way.  For a long time I believed that since I believed in God, I was good to go.  I was a relatively good person, so I didn't really need to read the Bible or go to Church or pray a lot.

What a difference a prayer makes.  During a time when I just felt confused about my purpose and direction, I prayed.  God put it on my heart to open His Word and start to study Him.  He wanted that intimate relationship with me, but I needed to do my part.  My life hasn't been the same since, and I never want it to be either.  He has shown me so much over the last 5 years, and I cannot imagine my life without being intimately connected to Him.

Dear Abba Father, thank You for showing me the Way.  Thank You for showing me that You wanted to be intimately close with me.  I have been so blessed by Your love and grace.  I pray for those that don't have that intimate relationship with You.  I pray their hearts will soften, and they will seek You.  I want them to receive the amazing blessings You have for them.  We know You will always love us and bend down to listen to us.  Thank You for meeting us more than half way.  In Jesus' name, Amen!



God Bless!!!